Finalmente estoy en Buenos Aires, Argentina! After 18 hours of traveling I finally landed in Buenos Aires last Saturday. The first thing is noticed was the HEAT; however, the beautiful palm trees and the vibrant culture here make up for the almost unbearable temperatures. The city is enormous…there are close to 14 million people living here (se llaman Porteños) so the streets are always very busy and there is always a lot going on. There are almost 50 barrios here also; I live in one called Belgrano. One of the things I like most here is the beautiful Spanish and European architecture. The churches are especially beautiful and cannot be compared to anything in the US.
The architecture downtown is also gorgeous.
The way of life here is very different than what we are used to in the US. You greet people you meet and talk to with a kiss on the right cheek; you never eat a large breakfast like is common in the US-most Porteños have café con leche and pan tostada; dinner is never served until after 8:30 at night and you can go almost nowhere on Sundays because everything is closed. Life is a little more relaxed than in the US.
Argentina is basically a cash economy which means that most business do not accept credit cards. The economy here is not very stable and has had its ups and downs over the last few decades but it is starting to recover. Still, things are cheaper here than they are in the US. The peso is worth ¼ of the US dollar so it is very strange to see such high numbers on price tags. For example a bottle of pop at a corner store would sell for 8 pesos but in US dollars that is only $2; so whenever you see a price for something you have to divide the number buy four to see if you are getting a good deal! Es un poco complicado! One more difference here is that the transportation systems are very very very efficient. The buses are very nice and always come regularly. the Subte (subway) is very fast, easy and cheap, and you can always find a taxi very quickly.
This weekend we will be having tango lessons and visiting El Tigre! ¡No puedo esperar!!!
Sara Smoter
Classmates Connecting Cultures
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Spring 2012